Bendix/King news on AvWeb about KI-300

[jaylw314]

Looks like BK is "reannouncing" the KI-300 for Sept 2017.  They've added airspeed/altitude/slip, so the functionality looks similar to that of the G5, except there's presumably an option to drive the King autopilots.  

They also announced the AeroCruze, which looks like a glitzy touch screen replacement for the autopilot control panel.  Just looks kind of stupid to me, the touch screen is too small to have all those buttons on it.

 

 

[LANCECASPER]

The King KI-300 is a re-branded Sandia Quattro 340 that is undergoing testing since they are now trying to get it to send outputs to an autopilot. They say it will be released September 2017, but since it's not certified yet, it may be awhile. Much is discussed about this on this thread, starting on page 2:

The Sandia Quattro installation only applied power and ground but there are other outputs that King must be using to drive the autopilot.

Sandia Quattro pin out.pdf

[Marauder]

The King KI-300 is a re-branded Sandia Quattro 340 that is undergoing testing since they are now trying to get it to send outputs to an autopilot. They say it will be released September 2017, but since it's not certified yet, it may be awhile. Much is discussed about this on this thread, starting on page 2:
[/url] The Sandia Quattro installation only applied power and ground but there are other outputs that King must be using to drive the autopilot.
Sandia Quattro pin out.pdf

One thing I will say about Bendix King, they are sure good at OEM relabeling. Isn't their audio panel a relabeled PS Engineering and their transponder a Trig?


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[LANCECASPER]

Even way back when their KEA130 Encoding Altimeter was made by United.

[Andy95W]

5 hours ago, Marauder said:

 

One thing I will say about Bendix King, they are sure good at OEM relabeling. Isn't their audio panel a relabeled PS Engineering and their transponder a Trig?

 

Their UAT ADS-B is a relabeled FreeFlight Rangr system.

[orionflt]

6 hours ago, Marauder said:

 

One thing I will say about Bendix King, they are sure good at OEM relabeling. Isn't their audio panel a relabeled PS Engineering and their transponder a Trig?


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In the video they have a Garmin 330 in their panel, what does that say?

[OR75]

Is Sandia going to offer an AI with autopilot output ? 

The KI-300 does not look like the SAI-340 

[gsengle]

Is Sandia going to offer an AI with autopilot output ? 

The KI-300 does not look like the SAI-340 

 

Other than the bezel the display is pixel for pixel identical. Maybe some color tweaks. You're not looking at the three year old prototype ki300 that was tossed are ya?

 

 

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[OR75]

No mention of the battery backup that the sandia has.

looking at the back of the unit will tell more 

[gsengle]

No mention of the battery backup that the sandia has.
looking at the back of the unit will tell more 

We aren't making it up, its a king branded version of the 340


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[FoxMike]

I talked to both King and Sandia at OSH.  The KI 300 is definitely a Sandia 340.  I own one and am reasonably happy with it.  I has an internal battery good for two hours.  I use it as a standby  six pack (think of it as Mini glass) replacing the turn coordinator.  The face of the instrument is small and the flight director cues may get hard to read when you are hand flying for a period of time.  Since I just had the KI 256 and HSI Gyro overhauled I am probably not in a big rush to buy a KI 300.  I am pleased that King is close to a replacement and I have good vibes about working with the Sandia folks.

[Marauder]

Bendix King also used Aspen Avionics to complete the user interface for the KSN 770. Nothing would surprise me if the 300 was someone else's product.


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[LANCECASPER]

10 hours ago, OR75 said:

The KI-300 does not look like the SAI-340 

Huh?

They may have tweaked the shade of blue and the shade of brown, and the bezel around the instrument is rectangular instead of slightly hexagonal.  

But the altitude tape, the airspeed tape, the slip/skid indicator, the altitude bug, the analog and digital vertical speed indications, the BARO/Push Brt Button, the location of the ambient light sensor in the bottom left, the mounting screw hole in the bottom center, etc, etc are exactly the same.  They even use the same font for the numbers displayed. Other than that it hardly looks like the Sandia.  If Sandia isn't developing it they need to sue Bendix King for blatantly copying their product.

Granted the KI-300 has Flight Director bars which it needs to work with the KFC autopilots.

I think it's great they teamed up with Sandia. Clearly their previous KI-300 that they were trying to develop with RC Allen wasn't working out. The Sandia looks like it has a lot more features.

[peevee]

Honestly if it is under 5k and talks to our kap150 it's worth it.

[Greg_D]

At their presentation at OSH, I was told it was $5995 until the end of August and then the price was going to $6995.  If those prices are true, I’m going to look hard at the Garmin stuff.

[gsengle]

At their presentation at OSH, I was told it was $5995 until the end of August and then the price was going to $6995.  If those prices are true, I’m going to look hard at the Garmin stuff.

 

Companies price things right where it's always a tough decision. Short term, it beats overhauling a KI256, but longer term you may well wish the whole autopilot system was upgraded, and that you'd go to a full pfd mfd. I wish we had some indication what's in the works for the G500/600

 

 

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[Godfather]

4 minutes ago, Greg_D said:

At their presentation at OSH, I was told it was $5995 until the end of August and then the price was going to $6995.  If those prices are true, I’m going to look hard at the Garmin stuff.

Did they mention if it was 100% plug and play when removing a 256?

[LANCECASPER]

2 minutes ago, Godfather said:

Did they mention if it was 100% plug and play when removing a 256?

It is  . . . sort of . . . It also has to be hooked up to pitot static and it will have to be calibrated to your autopilot. On Beechtalk Derek Boxwell an avionics guy says to expect a full day in the shop, which in the world of airplanes is as close to plug and play as you're going to get.

[Greg_D]

Just now, Godfather said:

Did they mention if it was 100% plug and play when removing a 256?

For the most part, it was plug and play.  There is a wiring harness adapter that connects the KI300 to the older analog equipment that would also need to be purchased.  Some plumbing pieces to hook it into the pitot-static system are also required.  Calibration is done electronically after installation without the need for a tilt box.  They said average installation time was about 4 hours.  We’ll see!

 

[KSMooniac]

 
I wish we had some indication what's in the works for the G500/600
 
 
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It will be the G3X. The G500/600 is old hardware now and I bet it goes out of production soon...


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[johncuyle]

Does it also feature CDI/ILS functionality and replace the KI 525 for heading, or would eliminating the vacuum gyros require both a KI 300 and a G5 HSI (or similar)? If you need both it seems really hard to justify versus an Aspen at $7k.


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[LANCECASPER]

1 hour ago, johncuyle said:

Does it also feature CDI/ILS functionality and replace the KI 525 for heading, or would eliminating the vacuum gyros require both a KI 300 and a G5 HSI (or similar)? If you need both it seems really hard to justify versus an Aspen at $7k.


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Unless you buy the EA100 with the Aspen you'll still need your KI256. An Aspen installed with an EA100 is closer to $15000.

[johncuyle]

Just now, LANCECASPER said:

Unless you buy the EA100 with the Aspen you'll still need your KI256. An Aspen installed with an EA100 is closer to $15000.

Yes, but if you have to add in the price of a G5, it's about $10k versus about $15k and the Aspen provides more functionality.  I don't get the pricing on this instrument.  It's more than a gyro overhaul and less than other replacements but seems like an awful lot to spend on something that's primary use (as far as I can see it) is as an interim replacement for a KI 256 while waiting for an STC on Skyview/G3X/GFC500 to become available and allow you to replace BK everything.

[Tommy]

This thing is a re-badged product that took 4 years to roll out plus $7K price tag - all backed by BK's legendary customer service.

I think I will pass and wait for STC on all the latest integrated avionics announced during Osh

 

[LANCECASPER]

1 minute ago, johncuyle said:

Yes, but if you have to add in the price of a G5, it's about $10k versus about $15k and the Aspen provides more functionality.  I don't get the pricing on this instrument.  It's more than a gyro overhaul and less than other replacements but seems like an awful lot to spend on something that's primary use (as far as I can see it) is as an interim replacement for a KI 256 while waiting for an STC on Skyview/G3X/GFC500 to become available and allow you to replace BK everything.

I agree I was just saying that the Aspen is closer to $15000 not $7000.